Syracuse, N.Y. — Memories and emotion mix freely and tumble easily from the mouth of Syracuse University senior midfielder Katie Webster these days.

Webster and her No. 2 Orange (19-2) host No. 6 Boston College (15-5) in an NCAA Division I tournament quarterfinal game 1 p.m. Saturday in the Carrier Dome. That means Webster has either one, two or three games left in her Syracuse career.

There was a time, not so long ago, when Webster came out of CBA to play for Syracuse and didn't even have the foggiest notions about what playing in a final four entailed.

Now, four years later, Webster has played in two and a win on Saturday would put her in a class that would make school history by earning a third straight trip to that level.

The clash of quick reflection, potentially greater upcoming excitement and the impending end of her time in Orange all turn the normally effusive Webster into an even stronger walking stream of consciousness.

"I never really thought about what it would feel like. I knew what the final four was, I didn't know how insane, how serious, how fun it was,'' she bubbled earlier this week. "I feel whatever happens this next couple weeks I will look back and say I was a part of Syracuse lacrosse history, which is so amazing.''

While Webster's awe paints her as an innocuous bystander to the fun, her progression as a player has been a big support beam for much of the program's success.

She admits to being a nervous athlete in high school, occasionally so unsure of herself that she threw up before competing in CBA's cross country meets. Her lacrosse talent gave her a little more self-assurance coming into SU, but the level of talent and quality of opposition still left her uncertain where she might fit in.

"I was a little nervous my first year not to make a mistake,'' she said.

As it turned out, her fundamentals and consistency made it hard to get her off the field.

Webster has played in every game since she's been at Syracuse, starting 81 of a possible 84 contests. She is 10th in program history with 166 points and eighth with 133 goals. This season, she is third in scoring with 45 points (35-10).

"I'm just so proud of the way we've all come together. We're not scared to do anything any more,'' Webster said of herself and her fellow middies.

"She's been very consistent for us over her entire career,'' said Orange coach Gary Gait. "I think she's done a good job of producing offense when we've needed it, and produced some leadership. We're hoping she's saving her best for last.''

Webster, whose younger sister, Caroline, also plays for SU, already gave the Eagles a coming attraction. She scored three times in Syracuse's 11-9 win at BC earlier this season.

This time, a win by the Orange would send it to a semifinal contest against the winner of North Carolina-Virginia game next weekend at Towson.

"I think we're ready to face Boston College and put a better showing on the field,'' Gait said. "We've played a ton of lacrosse since then. The team has grown in personality, who is putting up the big points, the assists. All of that has ironed itself out over the season. People are more confident in their play.''

Webster relegates all the numbers from Saturday's game — goals, assists, and maybe even the final score — to a secondary role.

They will not be the primary things she remembers about this stretch years from now. The true reflection of these times can be heard in her quivering voice as she fights to a draw the urges to laugh about her good fortune and mist up over the best memories of all.

"The memories that I hope I will be able to take with me are the people I've met and the relationships I've made,'' she said. "You'll always remember you won this game, you lost that game. But the people I've met here are the most amazing people I've met in my life.''